Dementia care management in an underserved community: The comparative effectiveness of two different approaches

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and costs of telephone-only approach to in-person plus telephone for delivering an evidence-based, coordinated care management program for dementia. Methods: We randomized 151 patient-caregiver dyads from an underserved predominantly Latino community to two arms that shared a care management protocol but implemented in different formats: in-person visits at home and/or in the community plus telephone and mail, versus telephone and mail only. We compared between-arm caregiver burden and care-recipient problem behaviors (primary outcomes) and patient-caregiver dyad retention, care quality, health care utilization, and costs (secondary outcomes) at 6- and 12-months follow-up. Results: Care quality improved substantially over time in both arms. Caregiver burden, care-recipient problem behaviors, retention, and health care utilization did not differ across arms but the in-person program cost more to deliver. Discussion: Dementia care quality improved regardless of how care management was delivered; large differences in effectiveness or cost offsets were not detected.